Aerostar International INC RX 8 accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, October 6, 2025
On October 6, 2025 at about 3:10 pm local time, a 2002 Aerostar International INC RX 8 (balloon), registered N5315M, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a power line during a descent for landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 6, 2025 · about 3:10 pm local time
- Place
- Albuquerque, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerostar International INC RX 8, built 2002 · all RX 8s on the register
- Registration
- N5315M · registry record · serial RX8-3355
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the balloon reported that, during the approach to the landing area, the balloon descended faster than anticipated while crossing over powerlines. Subsequently, the balloon collided with one of powerlines, which resulted in substantial damage to one of the frame’s aluminum upright tubes. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the balloon that would have precluded normal operation.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent rate › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Response/compensation
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 1,276 hours in all; 1,276 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 1,276 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 15, 2024
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 702 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 5, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: N/A (none); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N/A Albuquerque NM at 2:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 8:52 am from KABQ, 5 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KABQ 061452Z 01006KT 10SM CLR 14/00 A3010 RMK AO2 SLP134 T01440000 53020 $=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on December 11, 2025. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N5315M the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR26LA021.